The bridge connecting Kansai International Airport, on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, with the mainland, was fully reopened Monday with all six inbound and outbound lanes functional following months of repairs after it was hit by a tanker ship during a typhoon in September 2018.

Typhoon Jebi had flooded a terminal and a runway at the region's major international gateway, and caused a tanker to smash into the bridge, causing extensive damage and stranding thousands of people at the airport. The full reopening had been expected to take more than a year but was cut to seven months as work was completed ahead of schedule, in time for the start of the Golden Week vacation.

The government will no longer use the term "lifelong singles" as a label for people who have not married by age 50, deeming the term inaccurate as Japanese are increasingly tying the knot later in life, officials said Thursday. (Japan Today)

Japan's new supercomputer Fugaku is set to begin operations around 2021 with the country aiming to regain the title of building the world's fastest computer, replacing its current supercomputer K, government-backed research institute Riken said Thursday. (Japan Times)

Kyoto Prefectural Police have arrested a 23-year-old male Australian national who is suspected of scrawling graffiti in dozens of locations in Kyoto City, reports Fuji News Network (May 22). (tokyoreporter.com)

The International Olympic Committee says boxing is set to maintain its place in the 2020 Tokyo Games, but that the sport's international association should be excluded from organizing the events due to a number of problems.
(NHK)